Living Among Demons
by lovemondotrasho
Summary: Living with a secret proves to be harder than Rin anticipates it will be. No matter how hard she tries to play it off it becomes that much more apparent, especially with a family of dog youkai, a woman who is usually good at reading into the situation and the only other person who knows her secret and wants her to tell.
1. Secrets

**And my new Inuyasha story is finally posted! And it's a Sesshomaru x Rin story. I'm gonna have a lot of fun with this. :D I love their relationship. I don't think I've ever met someone who hated Rin. 'cept maybe Kagura or Sara. haha.**

**This fic is dedicated to my friend, sailormoon45, who has asked me to do a Sesshomaru x Rin fic for the longest time. Hope you like the first chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Batman.**

* * *

Three people were sitting around the table. Two women and a male hanyou. They were casually passing around a green bowl filled with ripe and juicy cherries. They'd been chatting lightly for the past couple hours. The younger brunette woman glanced at the large gold clock that was hanging in the living room.

"I really must be going now, Izayoi-sama and Inuyasha," she said politely.

Both Izayoi and Inuyasha's faces fell. Izayoi set the bowl of cherries aside. "Stay a little longer, Rin!" she exclaimed. She liked having Rin over. She was like a breath of fresh air in a house full of demons. Male demons at that. Rin truly was like the daughter she never had.

The hanyou sitting to Izayoi's left, Inuyasha, gave Rin his famous puppy eyes. Like Izayoi, Inuyasha liked having Rin's company. She actually had a sense of humor as well as a kind heart. She didn't see him a 'another halfbreed' like most people did. "C'mon Rin. Stay a little longer," he pleaded.

She nervously wrung her wrists, debating what to do. She enjoyed being around Inuyasha and Izayoi. She'd known them ever since she met Inuyasha at the playground when she was seven. Now, ten years later, she and Inuyasha were still the best of friends. She shyly glanced at the clock again. "I don't know Izayoi-sama. It's getting pretty late."

"Nonsense," boomed a voice from the stairs. Inuyasha, Izayoi and Rin turned toward the source of the noise, Inuyasha's father and Izayoi's husband, Inu no Taisho, the Great Dog Demon. His long silver hair was held in a pony tail. Rin could really see where Inuyasha had gotten most of his physical features. Inu no Taisho made his way over to the table, his ponytail swaying from left to right. He had a stern look on his face, but his golden eyes held a mischievous glint. "Rin, I'm sure your parents will understand."

When he assured her that her parents would understand, she had a mini panic attack. It went unnoticed by the Takahashis because she brushed it off just as easily as it had come. In no time, she was able to gain control of her calm and composed nature. "Maybe just a little while longer, Inu no Taisho-sama."

He glanced at her before dipping his head slightly, closing his eyes. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Rin, you've known us for years. Call us by our names."

Izayoi nodded, looking back at Rin. "Do call us by our names. No honorifics," she said firmly.

She gaped at them, wondering whether they were being serious or not. When she saw the look on their faces, she blushed furiously, waving her hands wildly. "Oh no! I couldn't do that!" she cried.

"Why not?" asked Inuyasha. He plucked a cherry out of the bowl, ripped the stem off and popped it into his mouth. He turned back to her with the same piercing gold stare as his father. "You stay over so often…you're pretty much part of the family. And then add the fact that we've known you since you were seven."

Before Rin could contradict him further, they all felt a swish of cool air breeze past them. They heard a cool and calm voice drawling from the foot of the stairs. "Please tell me we're not about to have a new member of the Takahashi family."

Rin's blush began creeping up her cheeks again. The voice belonged to none other than Inuyasha's half brother, Sesshomaru. She had the biggest crush on the eldest Takahashi brother since she was fourteen years old. She'd kept it to herself most of the time. Mainly because of the age difference. Sesshomaru was twenty five. She was only seventeen. Their relationship would be forbidden from the start, should they ever have one. It didn't matter anyway. Sesshomaru rarely showed interest in women anyway.

Rin had only told two people of her crush on the daiyoukai. Well, technically one. And that person was Inuyasha's girlfriend, Kagome Higurashi. Rin absolutely adored Kagome. She was like a sister to her. She remembered the look on her friend's face when she told her. Her chocolate eyes lit up and a big smile graced her face.

The other was Inuyasha, who'd overheard Rin telling Kagome the very same day. Upon finding out, he wasn't shocked or repulsed. Truth be told, he suspected it over the years, but didn't say anything because he didn't intend on hurting her feelings.

_"You should go for it, Rin, but be warned. Sesshomaru's a jackass," _he said that day.

It didn't matter to Rin. She was convinced that he was only a jackass to certain people. Namely Inuyasha, but that was only because Sesshomaru was Izayoi's stepson. He held Inuyasha accountable for his father and his mother's divorce.

"Chill your-er-" stammered Inuyasha, snapping Rin from her fantasy. He caught Izayoi's eyes. She gave him a stern look as if to say, 'you'd better not say what I think you're going to say.' "Calm yourself," he amended. "We were just talking about how Rin stays over a lot and how she's pretty much part of the family."

"Hn," he said softly. He strode over to the kitchen and grabbed a bright red apple. He ran it under some cold water before starting toward the stairs.

Izayoi caught sight of her stepson heading up the stairs and frowned slightly. "Sesshomaru, stay with us!" she cried. "You spend so much time in your room," she whined. She sighed, turning back to the bowl of cherries that were in front of her. She picked one out and tossed the stem into the slightly smaller bowl beside it.

Complete silence followed Izayoi's request. Rin and Inuyasha watched as the daiyoukai gave the back of his stepmother's head a murderous stare worthy of a basilisk. They both gulped, knowing that things wouldn't go well. Inu no Taisho noticed the sudden silence and turned around just in time to give him a cold hard look, as if to say 'be nice.'

Sesshomaru curtly nodded and stiffly walked over to the table. He sat down in the only empty seat at the table which was conveniently next to Rin. A light blush was dusting her pale cheeks. She tried not to draw attention to herself by finding a fold in the tablecloth to be the most mesmerizing thing she'd ever seen.

Inuyasha noticed the blush on her face and gave her a devious smirk that she didn't see. "Rin, d'you mind passing this bowl of cherries to Sesshomaru? I don't think he got any," he said handing her the bowl of cherries.

Izayaoi was literally in tears. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had gone five minutes without trying to tear each other apart. And on top of that, Inuyasha had offered something to Sesshomaru! It was a miracle! She hastily wiped her eyes, trying not to draw attention to herself.

Rin and Sesshomaru on the other hand, glared at Inuyasha. Rin knew that Inuyasha had caught her blushing and she knew that he was trying to get Sesshomaru to notice her. While she would've thanked him for something like that, couldn't he do it some other time?

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow before glaring daggers at his younger half-brother. Inuyasha never offered anything. Nothing. What exactly was he planning to do?

"I do not recall asking for cherries, Inuyasha," he said coldly. Sesshomaru glanced at the petite brunette sitting next to him and rolled his eyes. _This is the girl who's pretty much part of the family? _He tossed his long silver tresses over his shoulder and munched on his apple with a look of utmost boredom.

Rin was mortified by what Inuyasha had done. Was he trying to embarrass her? He saw her blush, so why was he trying to make it worse? She caught him stifling his laughter out of the corner of her eye. She gave Izayoi and Inu no Taisho a small smile. "Izayoi-sama, Inu no Taisho-sama, do you mind if I talk to Inuyasha for a second?"

When they nodded, Rin got up, dragging the hanyou by his ear into the hallway. Sesshomaru eyed them cautiously. _Inuyasha must have done something to make her angry. Stupid halfbreed. What point is there purposely making someone angry if all they've done is be nice to you. _

Sesshomaru wasn't completely oblivious to Rin. He knew that his father, his stepmother and his half-brother were very good friends with Rin. He thought back to the time Izayoi and Inuyasha had come home with Rin. She looked like any other little girl. Except that she was unusually cheerful. He found it odd. How did she always keep a smile on her face?

When Inuyasha and Rin finally made it into the hallway, Inuyasha couldn't help but burst into laughter. Rin glared at him, putting her hands on her hips. "Alright Inuyasha, what the hell do you think you're trying to do?" she demanded.

She impatiently waited for him to stop clutching his sides. He was still laughing when he stood tall, but he had tamed his laughter. He smiled at how angry she was. He poked her nose, making her even angrier than she already was. "C'mon Rinny," he said laughing again. "Loosen up. Besides, you're not going to get anywhere if you keep blushing like a lovesick idiot."

She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the wall, knowing Inuyasha was right. "That doesn't give you the right to put me on the spot like that."

"I didn't even do anything!" he exclaimed. "You're the one who goes to pieces when he's around." He looked thoughtful for a second. "Kinda weird now that I think about it. What do you see in him? Sesshomaru kinda looks like a girl. He's been mistaken as my older sister a couple of times now. It really pisses him off."

She tried to hold her laughter back, but he could tell that she thought this was amusing. He waved his hand. "Whatever. I'm sorry for putting you on the spot." He took care to put air quotes around the phrase, 'putting you on the spot.' "I'm just saying that maybe things would be better if you loosened up around him."

She heaved a huge sigh and sank to the ground, hugging her knees. "But he'd never go for me," she sadly. "He's so much older and I'm just…me. I'm nothing special."

He crouched down beside her. She could tell that his gold eyes were trying to penetrate her worries. "Rin, you have to stop thinking in that state of mind. You're such a kickass person. Sesshomaru would be lucky to be with someone like you. You're a hell a lot better than that Sara bitch he dumped a while back."

They sat there for a minute. Rin took Inuyasha's words in. _What would happen if I loosened up around Sesshomaru? What would happen if we actually did pursue a relationship? What would become of my relationship with the Takahashis if things didn't end well? Or worse, what would happen if he flat-out rejected me? Oh, this is a lot more complicated than I thought! _

Inuyasha could literally see the gears turning in her head. He shook his head. _Reminds me of the time I came to her about Kagome. _He suddenly pulled her up and started to drag her down the stair and to the garage.

"Inuyasha! What the hell are you doing?" she shouted loudly, grabbing the attention of the rest of the Takahashis. They glanced at the walkway leading to the hallway, wondering what was going on. Inuyasha emerged, smiling as if nothing had happened.

"Rin and I are going to go see Kagome, Miroku and Sango," he stated.

Izayoi and Inu no Taisho blinked a couple of times. Sesshomaru, however, merely bit into his apple and headed toward the stairs. "Bye."

Inuyasha pointedly stared at his brother's back and huffed down the stairs. Rin caught sight of his angry face and decided that it was time for a little payback. "Awww, did someone get pissed off at Sesshomaru?" she asked laughing.

He threw the car door open and slammed it shut. "Shut up and get in the car," he mumbled.

* * *

"Rin, Inuyasha, what a lovely surprise!" exclaimed Kagome, when she opened the door. She stood on her tiptoes to kiss Inuyasha's cheek. "Miroku and Sango are in my room," she clarified when Rin looked around the spacious living room. They were walking up the stairs when Kagome suddenly sighed. "So, what happened this time?"

Rin was puzzled, but Inuyasha stared pointedly at her. "Nothing, wench. Do I need a reason to come to MY GIRLFRIEND'S house?"

Kagome was about to answer when they heard a loud noise that sounded suspiciously like something hitting flesh. The trio shook their heads, knowing what had happened. In the five measly minutes that Kagome was gone, Miroku couldn't keep his lecherous hands to himself. Their suspicions were confirmed when they heard Sango yelling at the top of her lungs.

"KEEP YOUR DAMN HANDS TO YOURSELF, LECHER!"

Kagome raced up the stairs and into her room so she could do damage-control. She found Sango sitting on her bed, glaring at Miroku who had a faint pink handprint and a sheepish smile on his face. He was rubbing the stinging handprint.

"Ahh, my lovely Sango-"

"Give it a rest, lecher," said Inuyasha gruffly. He walked in and stood by Kagome. "At this rate, I seriously think you're gonna die at Sango's hands."

Miroku chose not to respond to Inuyasha. Rin shyly stepped in and stood by Inuyasha.

"Hey Miroku. Hey Sango," she said quietly.

Miroku eyes lit up when he saw Rin. "RIN!" he shouted bounding over to her. He crushed her bones before she could respond.

"Mir…oku…" she wheezed. "You're…squeezing me…too hard!"

When he finally let go of her, he smiled down at her. Rin couldn't help but smile with him. He looked like he hadn't seen her in a long time, when in reality, it'd only been a week or two.

Sango also smiled at the brunette. "Hey Rin. How's it going?"

"Nothing much," she said plopping down on the foot of Kagome's bed. She gazed out the window, envying how Kagome had such a beautiful view outside her bedroom. There were so many apples trees as well as a small pond nearby. _It'd be the perfect place to live. It was a lot better than where I live_…She snapped herself out of her thoughts and smiled. "How's Kohaku?" she asked.

She missed Kohaku. Kohaku was her best friend. She met Sango and Kohaku around the same time she met Inuyasha. Sango's mother had died a long time ago and they'd been living with their father ever since. Sango moved out when she turned eighteen, so naturally Rin got to see more of her than her kid brother.

Sango was about to answer when everyone heard something softly fall on the carpeted ground. "Rin?"

Everyone turned around to find Kohaku and Souta standing in the doorway. Kohaku had dropped his and Souta's bowl of popcorn. Souta was staring open mouthed at the mess that Kohaku made and sighed.

"Way to go, Kohaku," grumbled Souta as he started to pick up the buttery popcorn that Kohaku had dropped.

Kohaku didn't pay any attention to what Souta was saying, or rather grumbling. He raced over to Rin and gave her the same treatment that Miroku had.

"Have I really not seen you guys for that long?" she asked faintly.

He pulled away, smiling. "Rin! We have to catch up!"

Souta dropped the handful of popcorn that he'd gathered and glared at the boy. "Ahem! Were we not going to catch up on the Batman movies? Kohaku, The Dark Knight Rises comes out tomorrow."

He waved his hand. "We'll do that later," he said absentmindedly. He dragged Rin out of the room, eliciting confused stares from everyone in the room.

"San, why didn't you tell us little Kohaku had a crush on Rinny?" asked Inuyasha.

"He doesn't," Sango said, trying to sound confident abou it.

"Blowing off Batman for a girl," said Souta leaning against the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest. "Either they're really good friends or there's something there."

Everyone turned to Sango, expecting an explanation. She glanced at all of them, seriously considering whether they lost all sanity. "C'mon guys. I would know if Kohaku liked Rin. He's always been like a brother to her." When they didn't drop their gazes, she began to doubt herself. _Does Kohaku really not like Rin that way?_

* * *

Kohaku dragged Rin down the stairs and into the living room. Rin had protested the entire way down just as she had with Inuyasha just before they left. When he stopped dragging her. She glared at him, silently demanding to know why she was roughly dragged down the stairs.

"Rin, how're you holding up?" he asked with anxious eyes.

She stopped glaring at him and dropped her voice. "Are you crazy?" she asked in a hushed whisper. "You can't just ask that when everyone's upstairs! They could've heard you!"

"How. Are. You. Holding. Up?" he asked, enunciating each word.

She sank into the sofa behind her, sighing. "What does it matter, Kohaku? Nothing has been the same since it happened two years ago." She looked as if she was about to cry.

He sat down beside her and took her hand. "Didn't you tell anyone?"

"Of course not!" she exclaimed, yanking her hand away. "I can't just go around telling people something like this!"

"Rin," he said sternly. "You need to tell someone. Now. Not even the Takahashis know?"

"Especially not the Takahashis," she snapped. "Do you know what would happen if they knew?" When he didn't answer, she carried on. "Not a soul knows, except for you."

He gave her a sad look before standing up. "While it does make me feel special inside, it wouldn't be too bad to trust a few more people like you trust me." He headed toward the stairs. His foot didn't even touch the first stair when he turned around again. "Don't be surprised to see me at your doorstep." Without saying another word, he dashed up the stairs, leaving Rin with a few more things to consider.

* * *

**And the questions begin...**

**Read and review. Constructive criticism is always welcome. **


	2. Hinting At Her Secret

**Thanks to loveless an the living fantasy, Anya Primrose, icegirljenni, shad and SerenePanic for reviewing the last chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Twlight or Batman. **

* * *

After spending the rest of the day with Miroku, Kagome and Sango, Inuyasha and Rin had decided it was time to leave. Rin peered across the hall where Kohaku and Souta were laughing at something the Joker had said. She smiled slightly, happy that her friends were enjoying their 'catch up on Batman' marathon. Her feet shuffled along the carpet and her fingers curled around the smooth and sleek wooden banister.

"What's up, Rin?"

She jumped slightly, not expecting a voice to break the silence. She found sweating under Inuyasha's intense golden stare. She nervously smiled before wildly looking around. "Nothing's wrong, Inuyasha! Why do you ask?" She was trying to avoid his eyes.

He raised an eyebrow at her queer behavior. "Ya seemed kinda jumpy today. Ever since Kohaku talked to you downstairs." A sly smile appeared on his face. "Or is that is? Are you and Kohaku in some sort of hidden relationship? Is it like Romeo and Juliet? Star crossed lovers-"

Her cheeks were heating up with all these questions. Her tinted cheeks didn't exactly help her either. They just made Inuyasha keep going with his analogies. She coughed lightly, trying to stop Inuyasha.

"Don't worry, Rinny" he said ruffling her hair. "I won't tell Sango. Maybe."

"I am not in a forbidden relationship with Kohaku!" she hissed, stomping down the stairs. She hoped that her leaving would give him a reason to stop with these foolish questions. She was proved wrong when he raced down the stairs so that he could meet her at the foot, smirking.

"So it's not forbidden…Friends with benefits?" he teased.

She elbowed him out of the way and threw the door open. She stormed down the steps and started heading for her own house. "It's not a casual relationship either! I'm not in a relationship with Kohaku! Get that through your thick skull!"

He caught up with her, smiling. "I'm only kidding, Rin. Jeez, you're as bad as Kagome sometimes. Besides, you've had a crush on Sesshomaru for ages. That's not something I can overlook. And you're not the type to go into a casual relationship."

"Glad to see someone's using their brain," she huffed.

He tossed his long silver tresses over his shoulder. "Keh! I don't even know why I bother trying to lighten the mood. I always get yelled at for it," he muttered.

They passed several fruit bearing trees on the walk to Rin's house. Rin glanced up at them, wishing that she was a bit taller so she could reach them. Suddenly, a large red apple was shoved in her face. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw that Inuyasha was looking in the other direction, bored.

"I saw you looking at the trees," he mumbled. "You looked like you wanted one and I figured this would make us even."

She slowly took the apple from his hand and took a small bite out of it. She smiled at him. "Thanks, Yash."

They continued walking on the sidewalk. Rin, munching her apple and Inuyasha staring at the trees and flowers around them. Inuyasha slid his hands into his pocket and sighed. "Rin, are you sure you're OK at home? You're parents aren't abusing you are they?"

She stopped short, making him stop too. Her eyes were wide and curious. She swallowed the mouthful of apple, utterly confused. "What made you ask a question like that?"

He gazed into her eyes. If she was lying, he would be able to tell. From the look in her eyes and the scent she was giving off. Nope. Wide eyed, innocent look. She had no idea what he was going on about. "I dunno. You seemed jumpy today and I thought maybe something was going on at home." He started walking again, shoving his other hand into his pocket. "And now that I think about it, it was a stupid question." He peered at the brunette beside him. "You'd tell us if something was going on at home."

She nervously bit into her apple, trying to mask her anxiety. She stared at the core in her hand and tossed it over her shoulder and into the grass. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Of course. I'd tell you anything."

"Anything?" he asked incredulously. "Absolutely anything?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Not one of your stupid questions about my-"

He impatiently waved his hand, looking embarrassed. "No no. Not that." He took her shoulders, making sure that she was paying attention to what he was about to ask. "What did you and Kohaku talk about?"

Her eyes grew slightly and her mouth was agape. She looked as if she didn't know how to properly word her answer. It didn't help that Inuyasha was staring at her expectantly. She focused her gaze at a particularly large pothole in the asphalt. "We were talking about how it was nice seeing each other. After all this time," she lied. She took Inuyasha's arms off of her and smiled. "You know, he wanted to know how I was doing and if I was going to pursue my dream of becoming a famous writer…"

She hoped that he would swallow the last lie about becoming a writer. She'd love to write since fifth grade. She was more of a fantasy person and she loved writing fanfictions. Inuyasha was the first person she went to when she got her very first review on a fanfiction she had posted online.

His eyebrows raised slightly, but he kept walking, making Rin inwardly sigh in relief. She picked up her pace so that she was beside him again.

"I don't understand how you can come up with so many storylines," he wondered aloud. "I've seen how many stories you have up…and you have over fifty! And you deleted a shitload of them on top of that!"

She blushed lightly. Inuyasha had no problem giving credit to people even if they died of bashfulness. "Inuyasha, I've had an account for about five or six years now. And most of them are crappy oneshots." She walked ahead, trying to hide the now deep blush on her cheeks.

"But Rin, they're really good oneshots," he said earnestly.

She looked to her side and saw that he'd caught up. _Dammit. I forgot that he had his demon speed. _She shook her head, smiling slightly. She picked up her pace. "Writing stupid little oneshots isn't going to get me anywhere. I have to work on other things. That's my other problem. I always write the same type of thing. Something really depressing and overly dramatic."

Inuyasha rolled his neck, unamused. "Are all writers so critical of themselves?" he asked. "I swear I heard Stephenie Meyer say the same thing on CNN."

Rin burst into fits of laughter, earning her a look of annoyance from Inuyasha. He narrowed his amber eyes at her. "What the hell are you laughing about."

He impatiently tapped his foot, waiting for her to stop laughing. He rolled his eyes after about two minutes. Rin was clutching her sides. She straightened up, wiping a stray tear from her chocolate eyes. "Ohh. My god, Inuyasha…"

"Great, you've stopped laughing. Now what the hell was so funny?" he demanded.

Rin continued walking with a smile on her face. "Because you're the one who said that Stephenie Meyer wrote, and I quote, overly dramatic and depressing shit." He scoffed, making her smile grow wider. "C'mon Yash. You always complain when Twilight is on. You keep complaining about how Kristen Stewart is a whiny bitch who always cries and how Robert Pattinson's character, Edward, is a miserable excuse of a vampire."

"Well, vampires are supposed to look like death!" he exclaimed. "Not a fucking disco ball!"

She walked up a familiar path, leading to the front doors of her house. It was a small house that looked like it was a modern-day take on an old Victorian house. "Better not let Kagome hear you say that. She likes Robert Pattinson," she called over her shoulder. She fished her keys out of her pocket and slipped it into the lock.

Inuyasha peered at the driveway. He always wondered why Rin's driveway was always empty. He never saw a car in the driveway. Never. He raised his eyebrow, following Rin into the house. She was already heating up some water for her daily cup of tea. _I swear, writers and artists…they all live off of caffeine. _

"Rin, where're your parents?"

He saw her grab a tea bag, dropping it into her small orange and beige checkered mug. She opened a cupboard, standing on her toes to reach the honey. She saw a hand reach for the honey. Claws…Inuyasha had gotten the honey down for her. He looked skeptical of her actions.

"Rin, where're your parents?" he repeated.

She took the honey from him and turned up the heat for the water. "They're at work, Inuyasha," she said nonchalantly. "Not everyone's parents are Izayoi-sama and Inu no Taisho-sama."

He raised his eyebrow at her back. He crossed his arms over his chest. "When are they coming home?"

She felt a little flutter in her stomach before turning to meet his eyes. She gave him a small smile. "Don't worry about it, kay? They usually come home late. It's nothing to worry about." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a ribbon of steam coming out of the kettle. She reached for a flowery potholder and carefully wrapped it around the handle. She took the kettle and her mug over to the sink and carefully poured the boiling water into the cup.

Inuyasha followed her to the sink, still not satisfied with her answer. "What do you mean they always come home late? You seriously don't mean that they leave you home alone for hours at a time!" he shouted.

She glared at him, effectively making him back off a bit. "I'm not a child," she snapped. "I can take care of myself for a couple of hours." She pushed him aside to take her mug to the counter where the honey was. She took the end of the tea bag and pulled on the string, turning her clear water into a deep brown color. She did this for a minute or two before taking a spoon to wring out the excess water. She dropped the bag into the trash and took the honey.

"Look Inuyasha, I'm touched that you get so worried for me. I really am," she said earnestly. She turned around to face him. "I just don't like it when you question me about why my parents leave me alone so often. I'm not seven years old anymore."

He stood there, clearly shocked, for a minute or two. Then he nodded, looking somber. "Alright. I'm sorry, Rin. But you're like the little sister I never had! I at least deserve some big brother rights."

She put the honey down and put her hands on her hips, amused. "Big brother rights?" she asked, grinning. "What big brother rights could you possibly have?"

He smirked at her before cocking his head to the right. A devious smiled played at his lips. "Well for starters I demand to know about any potential suitors that you may have-"

She blushed cherry red. She stammered something to which he cupped his ear. "Ah, does Rinny have another man in her life."

Her lips formed a thin line. She marched over to Inuyasha, grabbing his wrist. She dragged him to the door and pushed him out. "Get out, sadist," she muttered.

He turned around, grinning. "Ah, forgot. You have a massive crush on my older brother. How did I miss that?" he mocked.

She slammed the door as hard as she could. She then covered her ears when she heard Inuyasha howling with laughter. She ran into the living room and buried her face in the mass of cushions and pillows in a desperate effort to muffle the laughter. She peeked out after a couple of minutes. Silence.

She slowly got up and finished making her tea. The small silver teaspoon swirled aimlessly in her cup. Her thoughts were elsewhere. Inuyasha was so close to learning her secret. She tossed the spoon in the sink and took the mug in her small hands. She took the cup upstairs to her room. She passed a large room that had the door closed. She stood in front of the room for a minute or two before sighing and continuing on her way.

She set her mug down on her desk and picked up her laptop, preparing herself for a long night of writing.

_No one must know of my secret. Not yet anyway._

* * *

"Catwoman…I'd watch a Catwoman movie," said Souta. He and Kohaku had been watching both Batman movies all day. Now they were looking for any news of a Catwoman movie. Or rather, Souta was clicking through the Google results.

Kohaku was lying on the floor, twisting the black beaded bracelet that his mother had given him. He didn't hear a word of what Souta was saying about Catwoman. Well, he heard the occasional gasp that he assumed was because of her costume.

Suddenly, he felt a pillow land on his face. "Ah, what the hell, Souta? I know you think Catwoman is sexy. I've heard you say it so many times today. And speaking of which, what does Hitomi think of your little crush on Catwoman?"

That only earned him another pillow to the face and a very pink-faced Souta glaring at him. "I was asking you when you whether Sango wanted to watch it with us. Cuz Kagome was willing to go if Sango was going too." Silence followed, making Souta sigh. "Kohaku, you've acted weird ever since you saw Rin today. Is there something that you're not telling me?"

Kohaku rolled over on his stomach, utterly confused. "What do you mean, is there something I'm not telling you?" He knew what Souta was getting at. He just didn't think he was being serious about it. The glare that the younger Higurashi was giving him made him cringe.

"What, you think I like Rin? Souta, I've known Rin since we were kids! There's nothing there!" he shouted.

"Could've fooled me," muttered Souta. He went back to his computer and pulled up the movie theatre website, looking for times.

Kohaku got up and pushed the button on the screen. "Listen, Souta. I'm telling you the cold hard truth," he said.

Souta was irritated now. _If he has a crush on Rin, that's fine! That's great! I don't understand why he's not telling me anything! _"Kohaku-"

"Souta," interrupted Kohaku. "I am telling you the truth. I do not have feelings for Rin," he said enunciating each word. "What the bloody hell has gotten into you?"

"Nothing," Souta replied quickly. "You just seemed like you had a crush on her. Blowing off Batman for a couple of minutes…"

_If you only knew half of it…._Kohaku didn't say anything. If Rin didn't tell Souta yet, then he couldn't breathe a word of it to anyone. He had to wait until Rin told everyone, no matter how much he hated keeping her secret. "I do not have a crush on Rin," he repeated. "You know I'm not one to have a crush on girls. I prefer a quiet life, you know?"

Souta shrugged, carrying on with his search for Catwoman while Kohaku glanced out the window.

_Rin…Please tell someone soon. You shouldn't keep a secret like that from everyone._

* * *

**Read and review! Constructive criticism is always welcome.**


	3. Reveal Your Secrets

**So I haven't updated this in a long ass time and I'm really sorry for it. I just couldn't write anymore of this and I didn't want it to end up short. That and I've been busy and dealing with some personal problems. Anyway, you all should thank my friend, sailormoon45, who so kindly yelled at me to get this chapter up because she wanted to know what would happen. **

**Thanks to SerenePanic, Anya Primrose, icegirljenni, loveless an the living fantasy, Ming Chi, Yonomori Hayden Yuki and sailormoon45 for reviewing the last chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

It was black around her. Pitch black and silent. It was as if she'd lost her sense of sight and hearing. She waved her arms out in front of her, trying to grab at something, anything. All she felt was air. She took a tentative step forward and found herself falling. She tried screaming, but no sound would come out of her mouth. The air whipped her hair around her face and she squeezed her eyes shut.

Suddenly, she was able to hear again. She heard several voices going at once. She grabbed her head, trying to block out the noise.

"Rin!" boomed a voice. The voice forced her eyes open. She had regained her sight. She was staring at a pair of stern golden eyes. It was Inu no Taisho. He looked less than pleased. "Why did you keep such a secret from us?"

She shook her head, trying to give an explanation. She hadn't regained her ability to speak yet. Inu no Taisho's figure dissolved in a shower of gold and Izayoi replaced him. Her chocolate eyes were full of sadness. Rin was sure she could see a few tears threatening to escape.

"Why didn't you tell us?" she asked softly. "We could've helped you."

Rin wanted to give an explanation, but her voice failed her. She could only nod and shake her head violently. Izayoi pursed her lips and sighed. Then, she too, dissolved in a shower of gold just as Inu no Taisho had. Six figures replaced her. She identified them as her friends. Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Souta and Kohaku were standing before her. They all looked disappointed.

Kagome and Sango were giving her the same sad frown as Izayoi had. "Why Rin?" they both asked.

Miroku was at a loss for words. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but didn't know how to properly phrase it. He opened and closed his mouth repeatedly.

Souta sadly glanced at Rin. He turned to Kohaku, who was wearing the same grim expression. "Why did she hide it from us? And why didn't you tell anyone?"

Kohaku glanced at Rin before sighing. "She didn't want me telling anyone. And I hoped that she would eventually tell someone."

Her friends were so disappointed in her. It was tearing her apart. She didn't want them to be disappointed. This was the reason she didn't tell them of her secret! She shook her head and waved her hands, trying to explain what was going on.

A new figure appeared. Rin saw it out of the corner of her eye. She turned to the figure and gulped. Sesshomaru's golden stare bore into her. It was searching through her soul. She had a feeling he was searching for a reason why she kept such a secret.

She felt strange. She felt like crying when Sesshomaru looked at her. She only felt ashamed when the others looked at her. Why was it so different with Sesshomaru?

"Sess…homaru," she managed to choke out. "I'm sorry."

He raised his eyebrows before turning on his heel and walking away. One by one, her friends began leaving her. Rin wildly looked around, as if to find something to bring them back.

_Why were they leaving? _

Her head began to hurt. She crouched and curled up into a ball, trying to stop it. She shook her head violently. She wanted to scream at them. She wanted to tell them that she was doing this for their own good.

Everything was closing in around her. She found it becoming increasingly difficult to breathe. Her lungs screamed for oxygen while her mind screamed for a way out of this hell hole.

"STOP!"

She jerked forward, sweating. Her vision focused. She was in her room. Everything was exactly the way it was. She looked down at her lap, picking the laptop up and saving her work. She put it down on her desk and paced around the room. She pressed a hand to her forehead.

_Everything seemed so real. I felt like I was falling. And everyone found out about my secret. _

She stopped pacing and slowly walked out of her room. She walked down the hallway back to the large room with the closed-door. She pushed it open. Nostalgia washed over her almost immediately. She walked into the airy room. She glanced at the huge bed. Her eyes raked every single piece of furniture that was in the room. She hadn't moved a single thing since it happened.

She sat on the very edge of the bed. A picture caught her eye. She craned her neck to get a better view of it. She sighed looking at the picture. It was a picture of a woman and a man holding the hand of a little girl. Their back was to the camera and they were walking along the shoreline of the beach. She turned around and stared at the head of the bed. There were two pillows there. She took one of the pillows and buried her face in it. The scent had mellowed out long ago, but it still provided some comfort knowing that her mother's head had rested on it.

Tears began rolling down her cheeks. She didn't make an effort to brush them away. They fell on the pillow. Rin lay down, resting her own head on the pillow and taking the other pillow. She hugged the pillow to her chest, hoping it would dull the pain in her heart. The pain was unbearable. She felt as if someone was ripping her heart in two. She curled up in a small ball and continued to cry.

"Mom…Dad," she whispered. She swallowed the lump in her throat before continuing. "Why did you leave me alone in this world?"

* * *

Inuyasha was slowly walking back home. Normally, he'd tear off running to his heart's content. Today was different. He wanted to take his time and mull over the thoughts that were creating an endless circle of questions. He shoved his hands in his pockets. His eyebrows crinkled together. Anyone who passed him would have seen a young man deep in thought. His face certainly showed it. His amber eyes were fixed on the ground.

_I don't get it. Something isn't going on at Rin's, is it? Something is definitely off there. I never see a car in the driveway. Her parents have to come home sometime. _

He couldn't piece it together. He knew that things weren't as they seemed. He knew his best friend was hiding something. He just didn't know what. He suspected it had something to due with her parents. Did they abuse her? That didn't make any sense to him. He would have known by now. He would have smelled the dried blood from her wounds. No, Rin wasn't being abused. Then what? What other possibility was there? Did they live somewhere else? For work-related purposes?

The more he thought about it, the more it made sense to him. That would explain why Rin was always home alone or at the Takahashi household. It would also explain the lack of a car in the driveway and the sad, forlorn look on Rin's face when her parents were mentioned.

His shoulders drooped a little, relaxed. He felt a lot better about the situation. He was expecting the worst case scenario when it really came down to it. He had imagined horrors before he finally came to his conclusion.

He pushed the house door open and nonchalantly walked past his stoic brother, who had idly flipped a page of the book he was reading whilst directing his golden stare at Inuyasha. He didn't mind though. His best friend wasn't being abused and all was well. He climbed the stairs and made his way to his bedroom, shutting to door behind him to shove his headphones on. He fully intended to drown out any speeches Sesshomaru intended to make that day.

* * *

**And there you have it. Rin has been living without her parents for some time now. A lot of you were on the right track and that makes me happy. :D It's nice to know that I managed to get my point across without making it too obvious. **

**Expect updates to happen less often. School has resumed to being the bane of my existence. *sigh* What was I thinking when I took that AP course? I feel so dumb when I walk out of AP world. Well, read and review! Constructive criticism is always welcome. Hope you all are doing well!**

**Now I'm going to go cry because of the season finale to Sherlock. **

**"Bu-bu-bu...IT'S NOT POSSIBLE! HOW?!"**


	4. Birthdays, Scents and Realization

**I know I haven't updated this fic as well as my other ones in a long time and I'm so sorry for that. I've hit a slight block with my fics and I've been so busy with schoolwork. In an effort to make it up to you guys I have made this chapter longer than my usual chapter length. :D **

**Thanks to SerenePanic, Anya Seneca Primrose, Sessrin4life, loveless an the living fantasy, icegirljenni, Taraah36, sailormoon45 and Shadow Wolf for reviewing the last chapter! And thanks to everyone reading! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Except for this plot and any OCs that are mentioned later. **

* * *

_'Things to buy…milk…What else do I need? God…Mom was so good at this. Crap. Almost forgot toothpaste! That would have been a complete disaster!'_

Rin sat cross-legged on a long white bench in the lavish Takahashi backyard. It was a relatively pleasant day with a light breeze. Inuyasha sat in front of Rin in the grass, visibly pissed with the younger woman because of the lack of attention he was getting from her.

They had been sitting in his backyard for the longest time, trying to plain Rn's birthday party. Only Rin wasn't cooperating with him.

"Rin," called Inuyasha dully. "Rin. Birthday. Planning. Let's go." He rolled his golden eyes and sighed at his fruitless attempts to get her attention. He began pulling grass out of the ground. He glanced at the handful of grass and then at Rin. He shrugged, flicking his wrist toward her, showering her in bits of green grass. He threw his head back in annoyance when the act hadn't gotten him anywhere.

"For fuck's sake, Rin!" yelled Inuyasha. "Can we just plan your damn party?" Even with his language, he still hadn't gotten a single reaction from her. His patience was wearing thin by now. He loved Rin like the sister he never had, but she was such a dreamer sometimes. Her head was always in the clouds. Sometimes he liked that, but not when his mother had refused to let him go out with Kagome until they had some significant process in their planning.

_'What the hell is she thinking about?' _

Suddenly, an idea began forming in his mind. An idea that would surely get himself killed, but if it would get them some progress, he was willing to do it. He pretended to look past Rin and off into the distance. "Oh, Sesshomaru!" he called, making sure his voice carried. "It's nice to finally see you out of your room!"

Rin, who had drawn up a grocery list, had heard Inuyasha's voice like he had hoped. Her eyes grew wide when she realized what he had said. Her fingers flew to her dark hair, trying to even out the bumps and the waves. When she deemed it acceptable, she straightened her dark purple tunic, making sure it lay flat on her collar-bone and didn't have any wrinkles. She whipped her head around to see Sesshomaru and was met with the house. She turned back to Inuyasha, who was howling with laughter. She crossed her arms over her chest, furious that he had used her crush on his older brother to his advantage.

"Inuyasha!" she huffed. "That wasn't funny!"

He doubled over, clutching his sides. "No! It was hilarious!" he wheezed.

She glared at him as he continued to laugh. She really wanted to put him out of his misery right then and there, but she refrained, knowing she'd suffer big time later.

"Great. You've gotten my attention. Now what?"

She began to jiggle her knee impatiently and roll her eyes, waiting for him to stop laughing. She threw her head back when she saw tears trailing down his cheeks. "Oh for god's sakes, Inuyasha! Fine! I'm going to the market and then going home." She turned on her heel and marched toward the driveway.

_'Great. Now I can't remember what I was supposed to get. Trust Inuyasha to ruin something like this…'_

The said hanyou wiped his eyes, seeing Rin start to leave. He panicked for a split second. If Rin left now, then he wouldn't be able to go out with Kagome tonight! He sprang up and dashed after her, using his demon speed to reach her before she was even a quarter of the way to the driveway.

She exhaled through her nose, turning her head in the opposite direction, whipping him with her hair in the process.

"Rin, I'm sorry," said Inuyasha. "We're supposed to be planning your birthday party and you keep staring off into space. You know, you don't turn eighteen every day."

She stopped short, remembering the special occasion. She would finally be eighteen years old. A legal adult. She looked up at Inuyasha who had slipped his hand in his pocket, pulling his phone out. He was wearing a grim expression on his face that resembled a child's face when they were told that they couldn't have sweets before dinner.

"Kagome," he said loudly, typing out her name. "Sorry I cannot take you out tonight. Our dear friend, Rin, is-"

She snatched the phone out of his hand, glaring at him. "Alright. Alright. No need to guilt me by faking a message," she snapped. The look on her face softened and she handed the phone back to him. "I guess my mind was in another place…as usual."

Inuyasha raised his eyebrow at her words. His piercing golden stare bore into her. Almost instantly, he dropped his gaze to the ground, remembering what he had discovered the week before. _'Man. She must be really lonely at home all alone. I shouldn't snap at her for being so lonely and spacing out.' _"Don't worry about it, Rin," he said quickly. "Let's go back to planning. Ummmm…Do you want a theme?"

She thought about it for a minute, tapping a finger to her chin. "I don't know, Yash. I don't really want a huge birthday party. Why go to all of that trouble? I just want a small party with you, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Kohaku and Souta." He raised his eyebrows again, silently asking if she was serious. She nodded. Then she tilted her head slightly, thinking of something she wanted. "On second thought…There is something that I want." He looked at her expectantly. She took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. "I don't want Kouga there."

At the mention of the wolf youkai, his face darkened. He clenched his hands together and gritted his teeth. His blood began to boil and his eyes were turning a light shade of red. He began to breathe heavily, scaring Rin. She didn't think the mere mention of his name could bring out his inner demon. She was about to say something when his hands unclenched and his eyes reverted to their usual shimmery gold. He took a deep breath and looked down at Rin seriously. "I'll make sure of that. That bastard will never set foot near you. Ever."

She sighed in relief, remembering what had happened the day she realised her hatred for Kouga. She shuddered, her hand flying to her shoulder. She was still rather sensitive to the memory. "Thanks, Inuyasha."

He slowly wrapped his arms around her like a brother would his little sister. "No problem, Rin," he said softly. "Kouga will never come anywhere near you ever again. Not after what he did."

She gave him a hollow smile when he let go of her. "It's more of what he didn't do."

The look on his face went from a mixture of pure loathing and concern to shock, as if he couldn't fathom what she was saying. He grabbed both of her arms, startling her. "Don't take things so lightly!" he shouted. "He deserves to get his ass kicked! He should have done something! Even if he didn't know you as well back then! He should have done something."

Her chocolate eyes widened in shock at his words. She really felt like Inuyasha was her blood brother at that moment. Only a brother would react that way. Only a brother would kick other people's asses for hurting his little sister. "I-I-" she stammered. "T-Thank you, Inuyasha. You've always been a brother to me."

Before Inuyasha could respond, they heard a cool and snide voice come from behind them.

"Inuyasha, Izayoi wants-" started Sesshomaru. He blinked at Inuyasha holding on to Rin's shoulders. He looked shocked her a minute, his golden eyes dilated, but he regained his cool and calm composure when Inuyasha let go of Rin, realizing what it looked like to the daiyoukai. They both blushed under the older Takahashi's gaze.

"Inuyasha," he finally said. "Do make sure to chose _one _mate," he said before tossing Rin a look that seemed to bore into her before sighing at walking off. It took Rin all of her strength to hold Inuyasha back after that. She struggled with his demon strength. "Oh my god. Inuyasha! Please! Stop!"

"_HOW DARE THAT BASTARD!_" roared Inuyasha. "How dare he say something like that?! He knows what you are to me!" He stopped trying to go after Sesshomaru and instead rounded on Rin. "What do you see in him, Rin?" he asked curiously. "What is it you see in him? I don't understand. You could do so much better than him! He acts like he has a fucking pole rammed up his ass or something."

She blushed furiously when he made the comment about the pole. She covered her mouth and faced away from him.

To be honest, she wasn't sure what her real reason was when it came to the daiyoukai. There was something about him. Something in his cold aura. She knew there was a normal person under all of that ice. He just needed the right person to melt it. She knew she wasn't the person. What could she, a human, offer to him, a powerful daiyoukai? Absolutely nothing. But she could still admire him from afar.

She came back to her senses when a hand was waved in front of her eyes. She blinked, looking up at Inuyasha. He sighed exasperated. "Rin, I'm being serious. Sesshomaru is not worth your time. Why don't you go for Kohaku or something?"

She blushed bright red, waving her hands wildly while laughing nervously. "Oh no! Kohaku is like a brother! He's like you!"

He tilted his head to the left, thinking of the last time Rin and Kohaku had been together. Kohaku had dragged her out of the room to talk in private. Inuyasha had suspected Rin wasn't telling him the truth about what she and Kohaku had talked about. Not the entire truth anyway. "If you say so…Alright. Let's get back to planning."

"Nevermind planning," she said quickly. "I'll explain to Izayoi-sama and Inu no Taisho-sama about how I want a small get together for my birthday. So you get ready for your date with Kagome."

Before he could protest, he was shoved toward the house. He looked over his shoulder to see Rin pushing him. "Rin-"

"Do make sure to give her a quick hello hug, unlike last time. Oh, and if she has her hair down, do not roll all the windows down. It messes up her hair and she'll be pissed."

He gave her a look of discomfort to which she waved away. "No I do not make it my business to find out these things. I'm a girl and I know you. Trust me when I say what I am saying."

He glanced at the petite brown-eyed girl before nodding slowly. "Thanks, Rin," he said quickly before racing into the house. He watched his enthusiasm and smiled, shaking her head. She glanced up at the sun and the cloudless sky, thankful she could walk to the market and not have to worry about getting a ride there. But first, she had to tell Izayoi of her plans for her birthday.

"Is it really so abnormal to only want my friends over on my birthday?"

* * *

Sesshomaru stalked back to the house, not pleased about being used as a messenger for Izayoi. He never understood why his father had left his mother for a mere human. It was a foolish thing to do to Sesshomaru.

"And then Inuyasha came into the picture. How delightful," he said sardonically.

The day Inuyasha was born was the beginning of hell on Earth for Sesshomaru. Inuyasha was the very reason InuSatomi was not mated anymore.

"Stupid half-breed."

The moment the words rolled off his tongue, he glanced out the window to see Inuyasha waving his arms widely at Rin. Rin. The human Izayoi had taken under her wing. Rin confused the daiyoukai. There were several reasons why. He just couldn't wrap his mind around someone always having a smile on their face. He didn't understand how it was physically possible. She had to be suffering from something.

Rin had always made him curious. She wasn't an airhead like Izayoi. No, she was different. She had a unique aura around her. A very warm and compassionate aura. But there was something else. Something he had noticed recently, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Suddenly, a crisp scent had filled the air. It tickled his nose, intriguing him. It smelled light and airy. Very feminine.

_'Lemons…'_

He knew for a fact it wasn't Izayoi's scent. The woman's scent was so sickening-ly sweet. It couldn't possibly have such an airy quality. He put his books down, his mind far from reading. He was going to pursue the scent of the mystery woman. It was tempting the demon in him. He silently cursed at the soft purring sound that filled the empty hall.

_'Damn demon.'_

The scent was overwhelming now. It was clouding his mind and he couldn't think straight. He was trying to eliminate potential owners of the scent.

He doubted he could be attracted to Kagome's scent. He had some respect for her, but it ended there. Besides, her scent was of jasmine flowers mingled with vanilla. It couldn't be something so light and lemony. Sango…He couldn't remember her scent. Was it Sango? He barely knew her. The only thing he honestly knew about her was that she had a younger brother about Rin's age and a lecherous fool on her heels. He shuddered when he remembered his ex-girlfriend, Sara Asano. He really didn't think it was Sara's scent, but there was always a possibility. He shook his head, not wanting to deal with her. The woman was mad.

Not knowing the identity of the woman made him go mad. He had to know who she was. He had to know who the scent belonged to. It was seriously turning him on. The crisp lemon scent…the airiness…it was sexy. An effortless sexy.

He found himself at the foot of the stairs. He glanced in both directions before concluding the scent was coming from the kitchen. He shut his eyes, deeply inhaling the scent. He couldn't get enough of it. before long, his eyes snapped open. The scent that enchanted him mingled with a sickening-ly sweet scent. His cold golden eyes scanned the room to see two black hair women in the kitchen. One of them he could recognize on the spot.

Both women were around the same height, but one of them was shape-lier than the other. She had long and thick black hair that hung like an inky black waterfall down her back. She was wearing a traditional kimono that was royal blue with baby pink flowers-sakuras. The woman was also the owner of the sugary scent. It was Izayoi. The woman standing next to her was the one who intrigued the elder Takahashi brother. She was much shorter than him. Her hair wasn't straight like Izayoi's. It curled at the ends, something that he found…adorable. The woman had a slim frame and a long torso that led to a tiny waist. She was wearing a flow-y dark purple tunic with a thin black belt that cinched the skirt in at her waist, which accentuated her figure. His eyes traveled lower and he found himself staring at her legging-clad legs. He ripped his eyes off of her, softly clearing his throat, trying get the mystery woman's attention. Both women turned around at the sound and he found itself gazing into his mystery woman's eyes.

"Sesshomaru?" asked Izayoi softly. "Is there something you wanted from either Rin or I?"

He tore his eyes away from the woman's soft brown eyes, to meet Izayoi's. Rin? He would have noticed if his mystery woman was Rin, wouldn't he? He took a good look at the woman, his eyes raking over her slim face. Her face held some child-like features as well as some more mature and womanly features. He blinked a couple of times, trying to focus his vision. Rin was the woman who had called out to his demon? Rin? A mortal?

His eyes lingered on Rin for a moment, not wanting to believe it. "No, Izayoi. I was merely clearing my throat."

Izayoi noticed her stepson's eyes lingering on Rin a bit longer than usual. She mentally smiled at the possibilities. She had always thought of Rin as a daughter. If Sesshomaru showed interest in Rin, then that was good for everyone. Rin was like a model daughter, unlike Sesshomaru's last girlfriend, Sara. Izayoi mentally shuddered at the thought of her. She was one who saw the good in everyone. That was until Sara came into the picture. She didn't understand how Sesshomaru tolerated her for so long. Sesshomaru's patience was nonexistent where Izayoi barely showed any impatience.

"Alright," said Izayoi in a sing-song tone. She turned back to Rin who hadn't the slightest idea of what had happened. "Rin, you said you wanted a small get-together versus a huge party? Are you sure?"

Sesshomaru didn't stay long enough to hear Rin's response. He tried to keep his demon in check as he turned away from them. He felt something inside him threaten to snap as he went upstairs. When he was sure no one could see or hear him, he used his demon speed to get to his room and slam the door shut.

"Rin?" he asked incredulously. "Rin is the woman my demon wishes to claim?"

He sank into his bed, unable to comprehend it. He couldn't wrap his mind around loving a human like his father and half-brother had done. And it was Rin of all people. Someone so…plain and childish. Someone who confused him. Someone who associated with his half-breed brother.

He shook his head. No, Inuyasha was not the main reason he was shocked. He was sure if Rin was simply a stranger to him, he would still be shocked.

A delicate knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He swiftly rose and stomped over to his door, flinging it open and directing his icy cold eyes at the person before him, Rin. Seeing the girl made him narrow his eyes into slits. He hoped he was giving off an intimidating aura.

Rin, who had not been expecting Sesshomaru to glare at her with such coldness, flinched when the door opened. She shrank back slightly, wary of the aura he was giving off. She clanked down at her feet, unable to meet his eyes. "Izayoi-sama wanted me to ask you if you needed anything from the market…since she and I are going," she said meekly.

With her head down, he could get a good look at her without her noticing anything. She was, in fact, intimidated by him. But at the same time, she had spoken respectfully. That was something he always saw in her speech. She was very respectful, mindful of not dropping the honorifics even after she was told she could. He really couldn't find a real fault in her. She was respectful, always happy and level-headed. Sure her figure was a bit underdeveloped, but that gave her willowy and delicate appearance. Then he remembered the all important drawback: she was human.

"No, but thank you for asking," he said coolly, his eyes still on her. The least he could do after this was speak as respectfully as she had.

Her head was still bowed as she backed away from him. She nodded, turning on her heel and almost running down the stairs. He peered in the direction in which she had run and leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms over his chest. "And she knows her place as well…very interesting mortal."

* * *

"Hey Kohaku," called Sango. "How was Dark Knight Rises?"

He sat at the table, staring at fold in the tablecloth, unaware of what was going on around him. He had been thinking all day. Thinking about what Souta had said the day before about him and Rin. He could hear Souta's words clearly, as if he was sitting next to him.

_"You just seemed like you had a crush on her. Blowing off Batman for a couple of minutes…" _

_'I've never really thought of Rin that way. I guess she's kinda pretty. And we're pretty good friends. She's got some adorable quirks too. Like how she licks her lips when she's thinking about something…Wait. Why was I looking at her lips?'_

He silently panicked when he realized he might have had some feelings for the brown-eyed woman. He pressed a hand to his temple, trying to convince himself that it was just him admiring his friend's weird quirks.

Sango had been watching a rerun of Gossip Girl when she had asked her younger brother for his opinion on the latest Batman movie. When her show went on commercial and she still hadn't gotten an answer, she turned around, peering at her brother. His eyebrows were knit together and his eyes were calculating. She could literally see the gears turning in his head. She rose up off of the sofa and walked over to him. She pulled a chair up to sit with him. The screeching of the chair against the kitchen floor startled Kohaku, making him flinch.

"Sorry," she said softly. "Is anything wrong, Kohaku? You look deep in thought."

She searched his face for something to give her the slightest idea of what he was thinking about. All she got was confusion. She tilted her head, expecting something that would paint a picture of his situation.

He sighed, not knowing what was wrong himself. Rin was a great person. He should have considered himself lucky he fell for someone who didn't already have a boyfriend or someone who was a royal pain in the ass upon getting to know her. He mentally grimaced at the thought of his last girlfriend, Chiharu. Sure she was pretty with her long black hair and her stormy grey eyes, but she was so nonchalant about everything. She never took anything seriously, always speaking as if she was bored.

He flinched again when Sango snapped her fingers, breaking his trance for the second time. She shook her head, propping her head up with her hand on the table.

"Now I'm convinced that there's something wrong. Spill, Kohaku. Is it a girl?" The blush on his cheeks combined with his refusal to answer the question and his bowed head confirmed her guess. She smiled, her eyes twinkling. "Ahhhh, I'm right, aren't I? Who is she? What's her name? Do I know her?"

He felt a smile creep on his face. He felt Sango playfully nudge him, as if to force the answer out of him. He was barely aware of her questions. He was thinking about Rin. Really thinking about her. Ever since Souta had said what he said, it opened his eyes and he finally saw how she had really changed since they were kids. Her hair was beginning to curl at the ends, something he always loved in a woman. And her eyes…her twinkling brown eyes. They were always sparkling, no matter the situation. The smile easily slipped off of his face when he remembered her secret. She was most likely trying to make ends meet. She was probably not looking for a guy now.

He looked back up at Sango, who had a wide smile on her face. He felt a flutter in his stomach as he prepared what he was going to say.

"Her name is Selina Kyle. She's…amazing. Absolutely amazing."*

* * *

***Selina Kyle is Catwoman. **

**Sesshomaru is such a hard character to write! I always feel like I make him into a softie or something. Well, I hope I didn't murder his character or anything. **

**Overall, I had a pretty fun time writing this chapter. Especially the scent part. I hope that was believable. I literally took my lotion and read the description on the back of it and incorporated it into the story. Country Chic from Bath and Body Works anyone? XD **

**Read and review! Constructive criticism is always welcome. **


	5. Planting the Seeds

**I'm back from the dead everyone! This story still exists! xD Sorry for the late updates, guys. I've been super swamped with schoolwork (Legit just finished my AP world stuff today). Let's hope I can update again without too much of a hiatus. **

**Thanks to SerenePanic, Anya Seneca Primrose, icegirljenni, oldie disk224, courtneykramer94, RinandSesshomarufan22, BooBearPurpleHead, Taraah36 and Rin-sama123 for reviewing the last chapter. A huge thanks to everyone who has read, alerted and favorited! And a final GINORMOUS thanks the size of One Direction's fanbase to my beautiful beta-reader, Anya Seneca Primrose! **

**Hope you all enjoy this chapter! Oh, the line thingy acted up when I was editing this, so I used "-x-x-x-x-" to show a time elapse. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. All things Inuyasha related go to Rumiko Takahashi.**

-x-x-x-x-

Rin woke up to an incessant vibration. She groggily sat up, rubbed her eyes and peered around her room before assuming the vibration was coming from her desktop. She reached out and ran her fingers over the cool surface until her fingers bumped into her phone. The phone was one of the many luxuries that the Takahashis insisted she have. She had, of course, protested that she was completely well off without one, but there was absolutely no arguing with Inu no Taisho once his mind was made up.

She pressed the home button on the bottom of the phone and finger-combed her hair out of her face. She squinted at the sudden change in light. It was a message from Kagome.

_Morning Rin! Izayoi, Sango and I will be over at around 11:40ish to pick you up! :) _

Rin read through the message three times in quick succession before she realized what Kagome was talking about. Her eyes grew wide and she slapped her forehead. "Oh crap! The dress shopping!"

She leapt up from her bed and raced into the bathroom. She grabbed her toothbrush and some toothpaste. As she squeezed the toothpaste on the brush, she quickly glanced over her shoulder to see what time it was. The clock read 11:27, which meant she had less than fifteen minutes to get ready. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. The shower would have to wait. She spit the toothpaste out in the sink and rinsed her mouth out with water.

She ran into her room and pulled the drawer of her dressing table open. She sifted through the different shirts and blouses, trying to piece together an outfit. She spotted a cream-colored lace shirt in the bottom of the drawer. She pulled it out along with a white tank top. She slammed that drawer shut and opened another one, where she found exactly what she was looking for - her salmon colored jeans.

She peeled her pajamas off and quickly pulled the new clothes on. Her hand shot out of the arm hole of the shirt and began move her hand around her dressing table until she was sure she found her brush. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror and combed her hair until it was gathered in a high and sleek-looking pony tail. Her eyes wandered around the room, looking for a hair-tie.

"God, where could it be?" she asked herself anxiously.

Luckily, she found a hair-tie sitting on her nightstand. She grabbed it and wrapped it around the hair she had gathered. Without looking at how the pony tail looked, she grabbed a pair of pearl earrings, her phone and chapstick and dashed out of her room. She ran past the door of her parents room, feeling a quick stab of pain that made her run faster.

As soon as she opened her front door, she saw Izayoi's car pulling into the drive way.

Izayoi, looking cheery and radiant as ever, poked her head out of the car window, looking a bit concerned. "Rin, are your parents out-of-town _again_?"

Rin's eyes flicked to the empty driveway. She felt another stab of pain in her heart as she forced a smile on her face and shrugged. "What can I say? Their jobs aren't exactly flexible."

She climbed into Izayoi's car and smiled when she saw Sango and Kagome. Even though they had seen each other the day before, it was as if the few hours were eternity.

"How's it going, Rin?" asked Sango. "Ready to pick out a dress?"

Rin smiled nervously again. She was ready to pick a dress, but she knew that Izyaoi would, no doubt, try to buy her the most expensive dress possible. Izyaoi liked to treat Rin as her own daughter and that meant spoiling her with all sorts of things like she did with Inuyasha and Sesshomaru.

"I know I want to get something classy," Rin said slowly.

"What color?" asked Kagome.

The younger woman tapped her chin. She had a couple of colors in mind, but she wasn't sure which one she would settle on. "I was thinking beige. Or orange. Beige is a pretty classy color, and I like the color orange."

Sango made an impatient noise from the back of her throat. "Don't choose something in beige! Go for a sexy color like black."

Izayoi nodded in agreement. "Black is very becoming of a woman, and it will be sure to give you an hourglass figure - something that all men are looking for."

Rin caught Kagome's knowing eyes and blushed lightly. Kagome was the only one who knew of her crush on Sesshomaru, and it was going to stay that way. "Oh, but it's a daytime party, Izayoi-sama. Black will seem too… dark."

"Black and white?" offered Sango.

As the conversation went on, Izyaoi would glance in her rearview mirror and smile warmly at the light blush that dusted Rin's cheeks. From the blush that would grace her cheeks every so often, Izayoi concluded that Rin _did _have feelings for Sesshomaru like she thought.

Her matchmaking desires, however, were put on hold when they came in front of the mall. She searched for a parking spot and grabbed her handbag. "C'mon girls! Finding that 'perfect' dress won't happen on its own!"

-x-x-x-x-

Nearly two hours later, the girls were still wandering about the mall empty-handed. They had stopped for a lunch break after about an hour and a half and had just finished that break.

"Say, Rin. You said you liked orange did you?" asked Kagome.

Rin nodded, sipping the drink that was in her hand. Her brown, doe-like eyes wandered around the mall as if she was searching for a dress that would instantly speak to her. She nodded absently, keeping her pace with the women.

"C'mon, Kags. She's turning eighteen," interjected Sango. "I still think she should go for black."

Kagome laughed. "Or is it because _you _want to wear black for a certain guy? Hmm? Is that it? You don't want to feel left out, do you?"

Sango waved her hand with a slight blush on her cheeks. "Pfft. Of course not! And besides, my dress isn't entirely black. There's a bit of gold on it."

Izayoi smiled, ushering them into the next clothing store they saw, H & M. "It's a very nice metallic black, Sango. Now let's see if we can find anything in here. Kagome and Rin have yet to find their dresses!"

Rin nervously walked into H & M, looking around at the racks of brightly colored clothes. Sango made her way toward the jewelry section, claiming she needed something that would match the belt on her studded metallic dress. Kagome immediately absorbed herself in a long red, Grecian goddess-like dress. Rin stood in front of a tall mirror, trying to envision herself in a figure flattering dress. She blushed lightly when she pictured Sesshomaru seeing her in such a dress. She shook her head, moving away from the mirror.

"He doesn't think of you like that," she told herself. "Don't get your hopes up."

-x-x-x-x-

Izyaoi saw Rin standing in front of a rack of dresses with two draped on her arm. She had silently gone ahead and found a couple of dresses that she thought would suit Rin and sent her off into the fitting room with them. Rin had protested meekly but soon found herself in a closed stall with an armful of dresses.

She placed the dresses down on the bench and gazed at her reflection in the mirror. She didn't see anything that screamed 'womanly' or 'feminine', which made her shrink a little. She was suddenly envious of Sango and Kagome's curves.

"Alright, let's try these dresses on..."

Her fingers reached out and brushed against a long satin print that had a burnout pattern and an open back. It was a nice dress, and it was pretty long; she loved wearing long dresses, but this one might have been too long. She tried it on, letting the smooth fabric hug her body as she stepped out to show Izayoi.

Izayoi was sitting in front of Rin's stall with an iced coffee in hand. She glanced up and assessed how the dress looked on Rin. She rose, spun Rin around and frowned at the open back. "No no, this one isn't fitting for a small gathering. Oh, what a shame; it looked nice from the front."

Rin looked down at the long skirt, catching sight of the price tag. She immediately blushed, making Izayoi wave her hand, disregarding the price issue.

"Think of it as an early birthday present!" the older woman exclaimed. Rin protested meekly until Izayoi ushered her back into the fitting room. When the door was bolted shut, she slipped the dress she was wearing off and picked up the next dress.

The next dress was a dress of her own choosing; it was a beige lace dress that would stop before her knees. It was a short-sleeved dress with cap sleeves, and it had the potential to flare at her waist. She pulled it on and glanced at her reflection in the mirror. This dress didn't look to bad on her, or so she thought. The moment she stepped out, Izayoi put her drink down and searched for more dresses for Rin to try on.

"It looks far too matronly on you," she said kindly as she handed Rin more dresses.

Rin took the dresses and walked back to the fitting room, feeling slightly uncomfortable. At this rate it seemed like they weren't going to find _any _dresses that would suit her.

"Don't worry, Rin. I'm sure there's a dress here for you," Izayoi called.

Rin turned around and offered the older woman a small smile. "I hope so."

-x-x-x-x-

Sango dropped the new bangles and rings she had bought into the plastic bag and set off to find Rin, Kagome and Izayoi. She knew that Rin was having trouble finding the right dress, so she kept her eyes open as she was looking for her own things, but her attempt was fruitless. She only found things that either weren't Rin's style or were inappropriate for a daytime birthday.

"Sango, look at my- wait, what did you buy?"

Sango turned around to see Kagome holding a plastic bag that was similar to her own. She smiled, her eyes falling on the bag. "Did you find a dress?"

Kagome flushed as she pulled the dress out of the bag. It was a green, nature-inspired dress with flecks of pink, yellow and white on it from the flowers. It had a V-neck in the front and back and definitely looked like it would move with Kagome's body. Sango smirked while raising an eyebrow.

"Wow. That's a sexy dress you have there, Kagome. Are you sure Inuyasha will be able to handle himself?"

Kagome blushed a deeper red as she shoved the dress back into the bag. "Of course he will!" she exclaimed shrilly. "Anyway, did you find anything Rin would like? She and Izyaoi are still looking."

"Still? And no, I haven't."

The girls sighed as they slowly looked around the store for Izayoi and Rin. When they walked back, Kagome stopped short in front of a rack of different colored dresses. Sango, not noticing, kept walking until she walked past a mirror and saw Kagome wasn't with her. She turned around and saw Kagome holding a dress with a triumphant look on her face.

"Oh, that'll be perfect for Rin!" shouted Sango. "And it's in her favorite color, orange!"

-x-x-x-x-

Rin blushed furiously with sparkling eyes as they were heading home. She kept the H & M bag on her lap, holding on to it tightly. As soon as Kagome and Sango waved it in front of her face, she fell in love with the dress. It was a dark orange and form-fitting dress with three-quarter lace sleeves. Without the lace, it would have simply been a form-fitting orange dress with a sweetheart neckline. When she tried in on in the fitting room, she clapped her hands together, half loving the way it looked on her and half looking forward to her birthday.

Izayoi dropped Kagome and Sango off at their respective houses, leaving Rin alone in the backseat. Izayoi would occasionally glance in her rearview mirror, happy to see Rin's twinkling eyes. It had been a while since she had actually been happy about something. A small frown darkened her face when she thought about it.

_Hmm. Rin used to smile like this all the time. What happened? _

"Rin, are you feeling alright?"

Rin tore her eyes off of the passing scenery and met the dignified woman's eyes. "Of course, Izayoi-sama. Why?"

The corner of Izayoi's mouth twitched. "Izyaoi. Drop the 'sama' sometime. And I haven't seen you smile like this for a long time. I thought you had something on your mind."

"Oh no, Izayoi-sa, er, Izayoi," she hastily corrected under a somewhat stern gaze. "I'm perfectly fine. It's just that I'm actually looking forward to my birthday now. Before, I didn't see anything special about it, but now that I've got the dress in my hands it's all becoming real. I'm turning eighteen in less than two weeks' time!"

Izayoi smiled softly, returning her eyes to the road. "That's good. I'm glad you're looking forward to it. Oh, do you want to come home with me or for me to drop you off at your house?"

Rin's smile faded a bit when she thought of the large and empty house. There were constant reminders of her parents in the house, and they were around every corner. Suddenly a dark thought crossed her mind. They wouldn't be there for her eighteenth birthday. She could feel her throat getting tight and a familiar stinging sensation in her eyes.

She jerked her head up and forced a smile on her face, so her moment of hesitation wouldn't make Izayoi suspicious of anything. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I'd like to go home with you."

Izayoi nodded, changing directions and taking the route home. "Of course."

As they passed several trees, Izayoi broke the silence again. "Rin, your birthday party is in two weeks, will your parents be able to come?"

Rin froze for a moment, unsure of how to go about answering this question. She was tongue-tied. This was not going to end well. If Izayoi found out now, two years of a carefully kept secret would have gone down the drain.

She coughed lightly, trying to pull an answer out of thin air.

"I'm not sure," she said cautiously. Her throat was beginning to tighten again, making her voice slightly strained. "Their jobs aren't too considerate."

Izayoi glanced at her rearview mirror again, feeling sorry for Rin. She gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter than she would have when she saw the look on Rin's face. She looked so solemn and somber; it broke her heart to know that Rin's parents may not be able to take part in such an important milestone in their daughter's life. "I'm sorry, Rin," she said sincerely. "I hope they'll be able to make it, and if not, you know Inu no Taisho and I will be there."

Rin nodded mechanically, prompting Izayoi to go on.

"I know we're a long way from being your parents, especially with the fact that Inu no Taisho is a full dog youkai, but in the past seven or eight years, we've really come to see you as our own daughter."

Rin was brought to earth when she heard the word 'parents'. She looked up and felt herself tear up at Izayoi's words. She realized Izayoi was absolutely right in what she said. Ever since she had met Inuyasha at the playground when she was seven, she had felt a special bond with Izayoi and Inu no Taisho, and it wasn't long for that bond to solidify. "I think of you and Inu no Taisho… as my parents too," she said, her voice thick with emotions.

Izyaoi sniffed, pulling up into the driveway. She parked the car in the garage of the large Takahashi house and gently dabbed at her eyes. "Oh, it wouldn't do for Inu no Taisho to see us like this. He would start crying as well."

Rin shakily laughed, wiping her eyes. The thought of Inu no Taisho crying was slightly laughable. She held the bag close to her as she hopped out of the car. Izayoi joined her, and they both made their way to the house.

Suddenly a thought crossed Izayoi's mind. Sesshomaru seemed very interested in Rin the day before. Her eyes flicked to the bag, as if contemplating something but later shrugged it off.

_He can see her in the dress the day of the party. _

Rin glanced at Izyaoi, raising an eyebrow. "Izyaoi-sama," she started, falling back into her old habit. "What's on your mind?"

A satisfied smile lit up the older woman's face. "Oh nothing. I just can't wait to see you turn eighteen. You'll finally be an adult."

-x-x-x-x-

Sesshomaru was going over business plans with Inu no Taisho in the family study. Inuyasha sat in the back of the room at the small desk, trying to wrap his present for Rin. He had gotten her a pocket watch necklace that she had eyed when Kagome dragged the two of them to the mall. He placed the box in the middle of the wrapping paper and had just begun to wrap the present when a sugary scented wafted in through the room.

Inu no Taisho stopped talking and turned to the door, making Sesshomaru sigh audibly. Izayoi walked into the room and looped her arms around her husband's neck, giving him a hug.

"You're back," Inu no Taisho said, pressing a kiss to his mate's temple. "How was your day with the girls?"

"It was lovely," she replied, walking toward Inuyasha. "And Rin came home with me, so hide the present, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha's head shot up, his face showing a mixture of panic and annoyance. "Aw shat. Where do I hide this?"

Izayoi glared at her son. "Inuyasha!" she said reproachfully, placing her hands on her hips.

Inuyasha quickly shoved the present in his father's desk, wrapping paper and all. "Don't worry, Mom," he said waving his hand. "It's in past tense; it's not that bad a word."

Sesshomaru shook his head while gathering his things. He was making his way out when he turned around to see Izayoi yelling at Inuyasha with Inu no Taisho trying to keep a straight face at his son's answer.

"I'm surrounded by idiots," Sesshomaru whispered, his tone laced with sarcasm and a touch of humor.

He walked out of his father's study, intending to get a snack before retiring to his room. When he reached the foot of the stairs, he could hear a low purr echo in the hallway. His eyes widened in shock when he realized that the low purr was coming from him.

"Shit," he muttered.

His demon was acting up again, and it was all because of the light lemony scent that permeated the living room and hallway. He was about to turn around and run up the stairs as fast as he could when the scent became stronger. His thoughts became cloudy and fuzzy; he struggled to remember what he came downstairs to do or even why his foot was still on the stairs.

"Sesshomaru?"

Damn her timid voice. Everything about her was intriguing his demon, and it pissed him off. He turned and looked down at her against his will.

He was slightly taken aback by what she was wearing. The lace shirt she was wearing showed skin in a way that wasn't vulgar, in fact, it was sexy. It showed her thin frame and feminine build. The pants she was wearing did nothing against her favor, making her look taller than she was... accentuating her toned legs in a way that Sesshomaru found he was attracted to.

He was speechless by her appearance; he could feel his demon grow more and more satisfied by simply standing in front of her. He almost asked himself why he hadn't gotten to know her better these years.

_She's mortal_ he mentally hissed to his demon.

"Um, Sesshomaru? Did you hear what I said?"

He was brought back to earth when she spoke again. His eyes narrowed at her, when he was actually angry at himself.

_Damn demon. Leave me alone. _

"Sorry, I didn't catch that last part," he hastily said.

She blushed lightly, clasping her hands behind her back. "I was wondering if you saw Izayoi-sama when she went upstairs. I wanted to ask her something," she told the ground.

He was slightly irritated at how timid she was. He couldn't be _that _intimidating, could he?

**Eyes. I want to see her eyes. **

Sesshomaru was completely taken aback at this point. This was the first time he had ever heard his demon speak. It was a low and rough voice that came from the back of his mind. He remembered Inuyasha going on about it when he had celebrated his one year anniversary with Kagome. Inu no Taisho had smiled knowingly and told him that it was a sign that Inuyasha and Kagome would some day be mated.

Sesshomaru looked down at Rin, whose head was still bowed.

_This is my mate? A human? Impossible. _

He was determined that his demon speaking to him for the first time was nothing. He was only twenty-five in human years. Surely he would meet other demon women before he settled down.

"Izyaoi is upstairs in my father's study," he said curtly while turning around. He made sure to get away from her as quickly as he could without making it look too obvious. As soon as he was at the top of the stairs, he sighed in relief, pressing his back against the door to his room.

"A mortal," he said quietly. "A mortal is the woman my demon wants to claim?"

"A mortal?" asked a rather brash voice. "Awh, is widdle Sesshy falling in love?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at his younger half-brother who stood in front of him with a smug smile.

"Who is she? What's her name?" he asked.

Without answering him, Sesshomaru swiftly turned around and slammed the door shut, locking it.

Inuyasha chuckled softly before becoming serious. His eyebrows knit together in concentration. "A mortal that Sesshomaru wants to claim… I didn't even know Sesshomaru associated with mortals," he said softly. He had begun to go down the stairs when he heard a set of petite footsteps climbing up the stairs. His eyes widened in shock when he connected the dots.

The only other mortal Sesshomaru could have seen in five minutes' time was Rin. "Sesshomaru's demon claimed Rin!" he whispered to himself.

As if on cue, Rin made to the top stair and smiled brightly at Inuyasha. "Oh, hey Inuyasha! Is Izayoi-sama still in Inu no Taisho-sama's study?"

"Eh? Oh, yeah, why?"

"I wanted to ask Izayoi-sama if she's got another hair tie. I want to fish-tail my hair."

He stared at her hair in utter confusion. "You want to make your hair look like a fish-tail? Why?"

She shrugged. "My hair is sticking to my neck; probably from the static in the air."

Inuyasha was careful to not mention anything about Sesshomaru's demon to Rin, mainly because he wasn't sure if Rin was the one Sesshomaru's demon had claimed, and he didn't want to see her get crushed if she wasn't the one after all. He smiled lightly at her. "Yeah, Mom and Dad are in Dad's study. Have fun with your, ahem, extra appendage."

She scoffed, pushing Inuyasha out-of-the-way. "It's a braid!"

He chuckled, watching her stomp down the hallway. As soon as she turned around the corner, his face fell and his golden gaze flicked to Sesshomaru's door.

"Sesshomaru, if you really do like Rin, then you had better make sure you treat her right. I won't hesitate to defend my little sister."

-x-x-x-x-

**Hmm... What do we have here? More sibling wars? Possible SessRin progression? A plethora of questions, more like... Read and review! Constructive criticism is always welcome. Keep your fingers crossed that I update this relatively soon - actually spring break will give me more time. (thanks for rolling on, spring break. I really needed you.)**

**By the way, I have a DeviantArt now! I'm rather slow at uploading on DA as I am on here, but it would mean the world to me if you all checked me out. Link is on my profile. **

**Oh, and a quick note to all of you SessRin fans, you all should check out my friend, sailormoon45's stories. THEY'RE FLIPPING BEAUTIFUL, GUISE, NOW SHOW HER SOME LOVE. :D Remember, sharing is caring~**


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